Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has launched a blistering defence of striker Karim Benzema after the player came in for criticism from former England striker Gary Lineker.

The ex-Tottenham, Leicester, Everton, and Barcelona striker had labelled Benzema “overrated” during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham in the Champions League last week, a comment which drew criticism from Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, among others. Now the club president has joined the chorus defending Benzema.

“I don’t mind what Lineker said, I don’t care,” Perez said to El Partidazo de Cope. “What happens is that people judge Benzema just on the amount of goals he scores.

“I always say that Benzema is a cross between Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario. He scores goals like Ronaldo and has the touch of Zidane; he is a luxury.”

The Madrid president pointed to Benzema’s contribution to the team’s third goal against Eibar at the weekend.

“Against Eibar, he came on and provided us with a footballing masterpiece in the goal for Marcelo. After the game against Eibar, there are people who called me and said: But how can you criticise Benzema?”

Perez also recalled the outrageous piece of skill Benzema pulled off in the second-leg of last year’s Champions League semi-final to set up Isco’s goal against Atletico Madrid, a goal that sealed Madrid’s passage to the final.

“To those who believe that Benzema is a different type of player, I tell them to go and watch the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid and see the dribble that took three players away from the game, before providing the assist for Isco.”